Talk:Kumkum Roy

By Renuka Joshi

Kumkum Roy retired as professor of ancient history at the Centre for Historical Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University as of 8th June 2023. Her area of research interest revolves around history.

In 2021, she endorsed the "Dismantling Global Hindutva" conference and made the allegation

"the current government of India [in 2021] has instituted discriminatory policies including beef bans, restrictions on religious conversion and interfaith weddings, and the introduction of religious discrimination into India’s citizenship laws. The result has been a horrifying rise in religious and caste-based violence, including hate crimes, lynchings, and rapes directed against Muslims, non-conforming Dalits, Sikhs, Christians, adivasis and other dissident Hindus. Women in these communities are especially targeted. Meanwhile, the government has used every tool of harassment and intimidation to muzzle dissent. Dozens of student activists and human rights defenders are currently languishing in jail indefinitely without due process under repressive anti-terrorism laws."

Publications related to India

1. Jha, Pankaj, and Kumkum Roy. “Whose History Is It Anyway?” Economic and Political Weekly, 2021

   Kumkum Roy's critique of the PPRC report on history textbooks ignores the report's concerns about historical inaccuracies and biases in NCERT textbooks. Instead, she defends the existing NCERT texts. Roy focuses on the PPRC's political affiliations rather than the substantive issues the report raises about enhancing the quality and objectivity of history education in India. She presents vague arguments, doesn't provide any meaningful citations undercutting her argument for academic rigor.

2. Roy, Kumkum. "Historical Dictionary of Antient India." The R & L Publishing Group, 2008.
3. Roy, kumkum. "The uses and teaching of history." The Routledge Handbook of Education in India, 2021
4. Roy, Kumkum. "Handmaidens of History? Exploring English, Hindi and Sanskrit Textbooks for Schools." Sage Publications, 2017.
5. Roy, Kumkum. “Political Institutions and the Panchatantra.” RC Majumdar Memorial lecture, 2022.
6. Roy, Kumkum. "The Vedas, Hinduism, Hindutva." Leftword, 2005.
7. Roy, Kumkum. “Contextualising Caste: Co-Option, Circumvention and Contestation as Exemplified in the Jātakas.” Sage Publications, 2014,https://doi.org/10.1177/2348448914537335
8. Roy, Kumkum. “Decoding ‘New Education Policy.’” Economic and Political Weekly, 2015.
9. Roy, Kumkum. “Revisiting Early Indian Political Thought.” Volume 3: Indian Political Thought, 2023.
10. Roy, Kumkum. “Cleansing the Past, Creating the Future? Do (History) Books Matter?” The India Forum, 2023.